"Yeah!" Egal cheered as Egal soared through the air on the Guardian's back.
"Holy Quiznak!" the Stranger yelled and clung for dear life to the other Guardian.
The little Guardian chirped triumphantly as it followed its parents into the clouds. It was amazing, similar to flying the Red Lion, but more freeing. Egal was able to feel the wind rushing by, howling in Egal's ears and sending the cloak billowing out behind. The sensation of Egal's stomach flopping as the Guardian swooped and spun. Egal laughed and soon the Stranger was as well.
All too soon, the Guardians descended into the giant tree that sprouted from the summit of the mountain, coming to a rest in its branches.
"Thank you, friends," Egal gave the Guardians a final pat, expecting them to fly off again. Instead, the Guardians stayed huddled up in the tree's branches, watching over the summit like the Guardians they were.
Well at least Egal had an easy way down the mountain.
Egal joined the Stranger on the ground. Together, Egal and the Stranger followed narrow path in silence, lined by tall rock walls until the path opened up into a near perfect circle. Egal's mouth fell open at the sight.
"Sweet mother of Sapling," Egal breathed.
The crater at the top of the mountain, shielded by the canopy of the giant Euphorian Tree, sparkling gemstones littered the ground, embedded in the rock walls and created patterns to the raised dais in the middle where the true treasure sat. A giant, crystal clear diamond that sparkled with rainbows from the few streaks of sunlight that penetrated the canopy. And within, Egal could feel it: the pull of the Fire Relic.
From beside Egal, the Stranger raised a hand to the skull-like mask, as if shielding the eyes from something bright. After a moment of adjustment, the Stranger lowered the hand and took in the view. Egal figured that if the Stranger's face were visible it would have the same awestruck expression that was most definitely on Egal's face.
Probably a little too late, Egal wondered why the Stranger was climbing the mountain. Even later, Egal realized that Egal was still referring to the Stranger as a stranger.
"Hey, Egal never caught the Stranger's name," Egal broke the awed silence, filling it was a suspicion that was way past due.
"Huh? Oh," the Stranger waved Egal off, too absorbed by the dais in the middle of the crater. "It's not important."
"So Egal is supposed use the moniker of the Stranger forever?"
"We won't be seeing each other for much longer, so what does it matter?"
Egal let a hand drift to the bayard, mentally berating the recklessness Egal showed by unquestioningly accepting this Stranger without a word.
"Since we're asking questions," the Stranger had stopped and turned to Egal. "Why are you up here?"
"Perhaps the Stranger could answer the same question," Egal threw right back. "Since no answers are being given."
"How about we agree to stop asking questions?"
"Egal's not sure how to feel about that," Egal's eyes narrow as the Stranger places a hand on the sword strapped to the Strangers belt. Likewise, Egal summons the red bayard but it doesn't transform. "Seeing as how both Egal and the Stranger are probably up here for the same reason."
The Stranger went still. "That's—" the Stranger pointed to the bayard in recognition. "You—you're a Paladin!" the Stranger's voice cracked. Just then the wind picked up and the Stranger could make out the unmistakable outline of the Paladin armour concealed by Egal's cloak.
"Egal!"
The Stranger flinched at the voice and spun around just as Shiro and the team emerged from the nearby cavern. Just in time.
"Woah," Shiro whistled and spun around, taking in the crater of the Mountain.
"Egal!" Hunk called out and ran over, nearly tripping over the gems embedded in the ground. "You're okay! We were all so worried when the tunnel caved in—"
Egal braced as Hunk approached too fast. "Egal is fine," Egal fended Hunk off as Hunk blathered on but paused when the Stranger was noticed.
"Who's this?" Hunk inquired, raising an eyebrow at the Stranger who was silently backing away.
Shiro and Allura caught up and immediately took in the situation; Egal facing off against an enemy with bayard drawn. Shiro's right hand started to glow, Egal heard the faint hum as it heated up and noticed the Stranger flinch slightly.
"Enemy?" Shiro asked quietly to Egal.
"Likely," Egal answered solemnly. "Or at least up here for the same reason the Team is." Egal felt muscles start to relax. Egal was no longer alone. Egal's team was here as well.
"Who are you?" Allura spoke up, stepping in line next to Shiro. "What are you doing up here?"
"What does Voltron want with the Relic of Fire?" the Stranger demanded.
Egal blinked. The Stranger's voice was drastically different than it had been a dobash before. The Stranger was using voice altering software?
"Oh, he knows who we are," Hunk whined from behind Egal.
Shiro stepped forward with a confidence and pride that had Egal straightening up. "We're here to protect the Relic from those who would use it for evil."
The Stranger's head tilted down as his hands balling into fists. "It's in your best interest to just let this happen," the Stanger's voice was distorted and the words sent a chill through Egal and Hunk audibly 'gulped'. "But I know that just telling you that won't make you back down."
"SKREEEEEEECH!"
Everyone except the Stranger flinched as the Guardians that were sitting passively in the Mountain's giant tree took flight.
"What are those!?" Hunk screamed and latched onto Egal.
Shiro and Allura's eyes snapped up to the hulking beasts. Shiro flung a protective arm out in front of the team as one slammed into the ground. It shook the Mountain and loomed protectively in front of the Stranger.
"The Guardians," Egal voiced in awe. "The Guardians are . . . protecting the Stranger?"
"THOSE are the Guardians!?" Hunk squeaked. "The same Guardians that the Shah warned us about? That are supposed to kill anyone who comes close to their nest?"
"Egal doesn't think the Guardians are guarding the nest. Egal believes the Guardians are protecting the Relic."
"Then . . ."
"Then we have to defeat the Guardians to get to the Relic," Shiro concluded.
"But why would they so easily allow him to approach it?" Allura demanded. Egal could see the hesitation in her demeanor. Allura didn't want to bring harm to the Guardians. After all, the Shah had warned against it.
To destroy one who seeks to protect . . . It didn't sound right to Egal. There was something more at work here.
Slowly, and to the distress of the rest of the team, Egal approached the growling Guardian.
"Egal!"
"What are you doing?
"Do you want to get killed?!"
Egal remained silent as the Guardian's giant intelligent eyes watch with hot, puffing breath. In all rights, Egal should be terrified, but the fear was nowhere to be found. This beast protected the Fire Relic. Egal was the Paladin of the Lion who was one with the flames. Egal and the Guardian shared something deeper. Shared the same thing that had led Egal towards the path in the Mountain that had collapsed. Egal realized that this connection was guiding Egal.
Egal stretched out a hand to the Guardian. A moment passed and Egal's lungs restricted as doubt began to filter in. Then the Guardian lowered its giant snout and pressed it into Egal's hand, just as the little Guardian had done. Egal's breath stuttered in amazement and Egal turned to smiled at the Team. The others smiled back, and Hunk let out a relieved chuckle. But the second the others began approaching the Guardian snapped back up and barred glinting teeth and a deep, threatening growl.
"It seems as if the beast will only allow Egal to pass," Allura realized at the same time everyone else did. The Guardians weren't siding with the Stranger. They were keeping the others away. The Guardians had deemed Egal and the Stranger worthy of approaching. No one else. Something in Egal's stomach dropped and Egal looked to Shiro for instruction.
Shiro met Egal's eyes and nodded. "Go."
Egal's eyes widened. Shiro was putting trust in Egal. Egal wouldn't let Shiro down.
Oo-oO
In reality, Keith should have realized that something like this was bound to happen. He had just really, really wished that it hadn't. If anything, the new Paladin didn't seem like a bad guy; a little strange, sure, with green skin, red spotted face and wearing a ridiculous poncho with sleeves that kind of glowed. . . but for some reason it still hurt. It hurt to see someone foreign on the team.
They had replaced him. They had replaced Lance.
Keith knew in his head that it was unrealistic to continue fighting a war without their strongest weapon and, let's face it, you need five Paladins to form Voltron.
But man, it hurt.
He didn't care about himself. Keith accepted long ago that he wasn't part of the team anymore. He stepped down himself. He found another way to continue fighting. But Lance . . . This was all he ever had. This was his family. What was going to happen when—
No! Focus! Keith stumbled back as the Guardian landed directly in front of him. His old team was fully distracted. These feelings didn't matter. All he had to do was get the Fire Relic and get out of here.
He was blinded the moment he used his soul sight. The Relic was just too bright. Keith could feel the quintessence pouring off the Relic. His body buzzed, and he blamed it on the excess power in the air and not the fact that he was facing his old team for the first time in months.
Gems crunched under his feet as he ran to the raised dais. The quintessence poured from the large diamond encased at its peak, but the Relic wasn't the diamond itself. The Relics, Umbra had taught him, were more than physical objects. They were symbols of power that transcended the physical plane. In order to obtain the Relic, he would have to coax it out.
Keith took his stance in front of the alter and in a practiced motion, drew a circle with the toe of his shoe, then imbued the ground with his own quintessence. This created the framework for the extraction hex. His hands came together, and he drew out a portion of his own quintessence, faded and pale in the presence of the Relic of Fire.
The sigil burned to life at his feet: five points shone on the circle and four lines surrounded the circle, encasing it, like how he gathered the soul fragments only on a larger scale.
Keith grit his teeth as the hex ripped through his inner quintessence. Agonizingly slow, the sigil rose from the ground and circled around the diamond. He could feel it, the pure energy that passed through him in overwhelming amounts, tearing at his soul, breaking off bits of himself and carrying it away, leaving behind tainted scars in its wake. Keith pushed one last time against the pain as it all clicked into place.
Heaving for breath, Keith didn't remember when he fell to his knees even as his body trembled against the pain of corrupting his own quintessence. The darkness encroached more each time he used the hex, and he didn't care one bit.
He climbed back to his feet, stumbling through the exhaustion. He still wasn't done. The sigil was locked into place around the Fire Relic hidden within the diamond, now he just has to extract it.
"Stranger!"
Keith glanced over his trembling shoulder, it's the most movement he could spare at the moment. It was the new Paladin, who had ripped off the cloak and now stood before Keith. The Guardians paid the two of them no mind, instead focusing on driving the others back with swipes of their claws and powerful gusts of wind created by their great wings.
Pink armour dove out of the way as one beast swooped in with claws gleaming. Black armour swung a glowing arm, slicing through tumbling rocks and boulders that threatened to crush him. Yellow armour spun out from behind the cover of a rock and fired canon blasts before taking cover once again.
And Red armour stood before him, the Red Bayard glowed and transformed into what Keith could only describe as twin pistols with a blade that elongated from the handle end and followed the length of the wielder's arm to the elbow. It was like a combination of gun and tonfa.
"Egal can not let the Stranger steal the Relic of Fire," the Red Paladin spun the Bayard, wielding the blade like a sword.
Keith sucked in a deep breath. He had to fight so he willed his limbs to stop shaking. "We'll see about that."
The Red Paladin charged. Keith took his stance, hand immediately reaching for his luxite blade hidden among his Apprentice robes.
No. He hesitated at the last second.
Luxite is a rare material as it is. Even among the Blades of Marmora each member had their own unique blade. It would be a dead giveaway.
He—he wasn't ready to face his team yet. Not after—
The Red Paladin yelled, and the Bayard arced through the air.
Instinct took over before Keith could think it through. He ducked under the slash and the quintessence that still buzzed from the hex answered his call. Dark chains sprang from the glowing circle on the ground and pierced through the Red Paladin's armour, binding his soul. The Red Paladin's eyes widened when his body stopped moving on its own, frozen mid-swing.
Keith once again found himself gasping on his knees, clutching the pain in his chest. He was using too much. He had to hurry.
"Egal!" Keith heard Shiro shout above the madness. Keith turned to look at the Black Paladin through his mask before the Guardians drove him back again. He spared the Red Paladin one last look. Egal was fighting against the hex, struggling to move, but Keith had bound his soul. There was no escape.
The Fire Relic could now be seen without the aid of his soul sight. A deep red shining through the giant diamond that had been coaxed out by the hex. Keith took a shaking step toward it and stretched out his hands.
He just had to extract it. Then he could go back. He could return. One step closer. Closer to fixing everything.
Quintessence rushed forward. It ripped through him again.
Keith's throat started hurting. He realized he was screaming. It hurt. Like his soul was being destroyed. No. Not destroyed, corrupted. Corruption hurt. But it was okay. He'd bare it. He'd bare anything. He'd—
He fell back as everything gave way.
Then there was silence.
The Guardians stopped.
The rocks settled.
The Paladins froze and stared.
Keith scrambled to sit up. In his lap, encircled by the sigil, was the Fire Relic. It was nothing more than a small, intense light, burning a bright red colour. The sigil finished its job, surrounding the Relic with a soul barrier before fading from existence.
Keith felt the pressure of the active spell suddenly fall from his soul and he almost passed out in relief. One second of relief was all it took for the hex on the Red Paladin to fall as well.
The Red Paladin stumbled forward as the bindings fell.
"Quiznak," Keith cursed under his breath.
Egal blinked in confusion before the anger took over his face. "Put it back," the Red Paladin seethed.
Keith wobbled onto his feet and took a step back. He felt lightheaded. The hex took more out of him than he expected. He forced his eyes to stay open but the ache in his chest begged for rest.
Soon . . . just have to . . .
"Return the Relic!" the Red Paladin screamed and in a practiced motion, spun his bayard around, and fired the gun at Keith.
Keith stumbled again as his armour absorbed laser fire, but he came back to himself and took the full brunt of the new Red Paladin charging at him.
Keith distantly registered that the Guardians had disappeared, and he could see the various expressions on his old team's faces. Shiro was focused and determined, as always. Allura seemed horrified, probably because they were about to lose the Relic. Hunk seemed worried, honestly nothing new.
He realized that Pidge wasn't there . . . probably off causing chaos somewhere else.
The Red Paladin wielded the blades and Keith used his free hand to deflect them and duck away. He kept the Fire Relic clutched close to his chest. His whole body burned from overexertion.
Something bumped the back of his leg as he continued stumbling out of the Red Paladin's range and Keith looked back to see the island, lush with forest and full of life, spread out behind him. The only thing separating them was a small ledge of stone that was only a few feet high and a very long drop down.
The Red Paladin took stock of the situation. Keith had been pushed into a corner, no where to run. The Red Paladin took his time and stalked forward, spinning the blades just like you would spin a tonfa.
I don't have to fight, Keith reminded himself through the haze settling over his mind. Just get back . . . He fumbled with the device on his wrist and somehow managed to jab at the right buttons. It whirred to life, the beginnings of a portal starting to form below.
Before the Red Paladin could reach him, Keith watched startled expressions spread across the Red Paladin's face as he let himself tip back . . . and fall.